The distraught family of a missing Canberra teenager have pleaded for him to let them know he is safe, saying they love him, miss him and want him to come home.
It is now more than a week since Nate Palmer was last seen in Canberra, the 16-year-old apprentice electrician believed to be in Sydney.
His family was hoping he would make contact on Thursday, which was his mother Katie Hill's birthday. But nothing. Bouquets of flowers were dotted around her lounge room on Friday, gifts for her birthday, but all she wants is her boy back.
Nate was last seen by his mum and his sister Nevaeh, 18, heading off to bed about 10pm on Thursday, September 19 at their Isabella Plains home.
His dad Rhett Palmer said a bank transaction from September 19 revealed Nate had bought a train ticket from Canberra to Sydney for Friday, September 20 and there was video footage of Nate alone at a McDonald's in the Sydney CBD at 3.52am last Saturday, September 21.
A Find My iPhone app had also placed his phone at Central Station and Cockle Bay Wharf. But there had been no other financial transactions.
The family did not know of any friends he had in Sydney.
His disappearance was "very out of character" and they fear for his welfare.
Nate and Neveah had been at a basketball presentation earlier the night he was seen in Canberra and caught the bus home but she said nothing unusual had happened.
His dad Rhett Palmer, who lives in Banks, arrived, as usual, at 5.40am on Friday, September 20 to take his son to work at Tier One Fire Protection in Gungahlin.
But instead he arrived to find his son had sent him a text saying, "Hey Dad, no need to pick me up, I've got a lift into work today. All good".
"And that was it," Mr Palmer said.
Ms Hill discovered Nate was missing at about 4.30pm on Friday, September 20 when she checked on the Find My iPhone app to see where he was because he usually finished work at 3.30pm. She kept trying to ring his phone but it sounded like it was turned off.
His family said Nate was a quiet person who hated any attention to be on himself. They thought he might think he was in trouble but that could not be further from the case and pleaded for Nate to alert someone that he was OK, even if he went to the nearest police station.
"I just miss him so much," his sister Chani said. "I just want him to know he's not in trouble if he comes back . We all love him so much and he has so many people here that care about him so much, more than he thinks. And we just want him home."
NSW Police on Friday re-issued an appeal for public assistance to locate Nate. He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall with thin build and black hair. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie. He may have been carrying a duffle bag.
Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to call Sydney City Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or nsw.crimestoppers.com.au
Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
